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INFOGRAPHIC: Why collaboration tools alone are not enough

Blogs by author: Dr Nicola Millard, Head of Customer Insight and Futures, BT

Encouraging collaboration at work is much like signing up to a gym — you need to win the hearts and minds of people to keep them coming back for more.

You can have all the right tools.

Exercise can be hard work — especially when you’re looking to improve your fitness or get in shape. And chances are, you know someone who’s tried to force themselves to put in the effort by investing in the tools to help them achieve their goals.

Whether it involves sets of weights, running shoes or expensive gym memberships, many people think their initial investment will give them a good reason to keep going. Then months later, you’ll spot their dumbbells gathering dust in the corner of their garage or spare room.

It takes more than simply putting the right tools in place to achieve something. You also have to change habits, while creating and maintaining the motivation to succeed.

But people still need a reason to use them.

Encouraging effective collaboration within your organisation is a lot like trying to keep fit. You can give people all the tools they want — but if people don’t have the right motivation, those tools will end up sitting around unused.

That’s why you have to think about the psychology behind collaboration. You have to work out what’s standing in the way of your people working together and remove those barriers. Take a look at our infographic below to find out more about how to improve collaboration in your organisation.